Hi there!
So when it came to the mapping for my Town’s shops, I remembered a game that I played not that long ago; Bravely Default. In that game, instead of having the shops as interior maps, it uses a menu-based system instead. This cuts down on the amount of maps required, as well as not stuffing the game with unneeded filler content and NPC’s.
So that’s what I’ve done. When you enter a shop, it will still tranport you to a new map, but this map is in fact blank, with but a single autorun-type event on it. The autorun will display a bust image of a character, with a menu. The menu has two commands; shop and exit. Selecting shop will bring up additional choice boxes, asking what type of item you’d like to buy. Exiting the shop, or by selecting exit will automatically transport the player back outside the shop.
As each shop only uses a single event, it also keeps the processing requirements down, meaning that it won’t lag the game out.
Another topic I’d like to talk about is the exported version. RMMV has the ability to export for a variety of systems, so i’m going to take advantage of that fact. I’m planning on exporting for Windows and Mac’s at the very least, and I may add Linux compatibility if I have time.
The other thing that RMMV’s deployer (which builds the game) can do is encrypt image and audio files, protecting them against piracy. This comes in super-handy when using pre-made or licenced material, as it prevents unauthorised useage of the assets.
I’m not sure how easy the encryption is to circumvent, but I’ve never heard of anyone hacking an RM game, so I doubt it’ll be an issue.
Anyway, I’ll be back soon with some more content, so I’ll see you later!
SLGameDesign FMP 